Why Should We Use Compatible SFP and SFP+?

Nowadays, Fiber optic transceiver is popular with people around the world, especially the SFP and SFP+ transceivers which are the most widely used modules for both telecommunication and data communications applications. They have small sizes and are available with various types, that allows users to select the appropriate one to provide the required optical reach over single-mode fiber or multimode fiber. Since they are of great importance in the network, manufacturers have designed various types of SFP and SFP+ modules to satisfy different demands, including compatible SFP and SFP+ transceivers. Nowadays people are apt to use the compatible SFP/SFP+ transceivers instead of the original ones, do you know the reasons of this? This passage tends to talk about this subject and gives you a basic understanding of compatible SFP and SFP+ modules.

Think twice Before Choosing SFP and SFP+ Transceivers

 

When you need a new SFP or SFP+ transceivers, you should take manufacturer compatible modules into consideration. For example, if you saw a manufacturer SFP or SFP+ modules side-by-side with a first-party OEM modules without the label, I bet that you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them. Because they are essentially the same, that is to say that the first-party compatible SFP or SFP+ transceivers contain the same opto-electronics and is provided by the same distributors as the higher-priced SFP or SFP+ modules you would buy from companies, like Cisco, Finisar or Brocade, etc.

 

Why Should We Use Compatible SFP and SFP+?

 

When we purchase products, we’ll take many aspects into consideration, such as the price, functions, capability, etc. The following part lists two main reasons why we choose compatible SFP and SFP+.

Cost

With the basic information we have talked about SFP and SFP+ above, there is no doubt that SFP and SFP+ are indispensable components in network communication, but it is really a headache that costs for transceiver modules are keeping rising for users. If you choose Cisco, Finisar, and Dell or any other brands of transceivers, you will find that they are too expensive for us, especially for those who are deficient in capital. However, on the market, compatible SFP and SFP+ are at least the half price of the original one. For example, a Cisco SFP-10G-SR compatible 10GBase-SR SFP+ transceiver is only 16 dollars.

 

Compatibility

As we all know, each transceiver module is unique and holds its own information in EEPROM, so do SFP and SFP+ transceivers. And this memory is coded with specific identifiers such as pert numbers and manufacturer details. When the module is installed, the host device then checks the memory for the correct information to confirm compatibility. Compatible SFP and SFP+ contain the same production technology as the original brands. In other words, they have the same hardware. Take Finisar SFP as an example, a Finisar FTLF1318P2BTL is compatible with the original Finisar SFP transceiver, having all the same features as the original one does, and it is also supported on a wide range of Finisar equipment.

 

Conclusion

 

With increasing demand for transceivers, compatible SFP and SFP+ with lower cost and high compatibility are absolutely perfect choices for most users. But keep in mind that you should have a firmware check for compatibility before installing, or the modules can’t work in good condition. FS.COM always strives to provide optical products and has earned a good reputation among our customers. You could find all kinds of transceivers here, such as 10G SFP+, 100Base SFP, XFP, and so on. And we offer varieties of SFP and SFP+ transceivers which are fully compatible with major brands at very lower price. In addition, we promise every compatible product here is individually tested, walks through the testing challenges and 100% compatibility.